Payaca vs Pipedrive
Sales CRM vs complete solar business platform
Pipedrive is great at tracking deals. But what happens after you win? Solar businesses need more than a sales pipeline.
Payaca
From first lead to final invoice. Sales, operations, permits, and finance in one platform.
- Visual sales pipeline
- Multi-option proposals and e-signatures
- Job management and field team app
- Permit tracking and invoicing included
Pipedrive
Focused sales CRM for pipeline management. Great at tracking deals through to close.
- Excellent visual pipeline
- Good mobile app for sales reps
- No job management or field tools
- Stops at deal close
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Payaca | Pipedrive |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Purpose | Complete platform for solar installation businesses | Sales pipeline and CRM |
| Industry Focus | Built for solar, batteries, EV chargers | Generic - works for any sales team |
| Sales Pipeline | Visual pipeline with solar-specific stages | Excellent visual pipeline management |
| Permit Tracking | Built-in permit tracking and AHJ compliance | Not available - no permit support |
| Design Tool Integration | OpenSolar and Aurora connections | No solar design integrations |
| Job Management | Multi-stage installation project tracking | Deal tracking only - no job management |
| Quoting | Multi-option solar proposals with specs | Basic quotes with Smart Docs add-on |
| Field Team Mobile App | Offline-capable app for installers | Sales app for reps - not field technicians |
| Invoicing | Full invoicing with payment collection | No invoicing - needs integration |
Primary Purpose
Complete platform for solar installation businesses
Sales pipeline and CRM
Industry Focus
Built for solar, batteries, EV chargers
Generic - works for any sales team
Sales Pipeline
Visual pipeline with solar-specific stages
Excellent visual pipeline management
Permit Tracking
Built-in permit tracking and AHJ compliance
Not available - no permit support
Design Tool Integration
OpenSolar and Aurora connections
No solar design integrations
Job Management
Multi-stage installation project tracking
Deal tracking only - no job management
Quoting
Multi-option solar proposals with specs
Basic quotes with Smart Docs add-on
Field Team Mobile App
Offline-capable app for installers
Sales app for reps - not field technicians
Invoicing
Full invoicing with payment collection
No invoicing - needs integration
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I use Pipedrive for my solar installation business?
- Pipedrive handles sales pipelines well, but stops when you win the deal. Solar businesses need job management, scheduling, field tools, permit tracking, and invoicing that Pipedrive doesn't provide. You'd need 3-4 additional tools to run your full operation.
- What does Pipedrive do well?
- Pipedrive excels at visual sales pipeline management. The interface is clean, the mobile app is good for sales reps, and it helps track deals through stages. But it's designed for closing deals, not managing installation projects or permits.
- Is Pipedrive cheaper than Payaca?
- Pipedrive starts at lower prices, but you'd need to add scheduling software, field service tools, quoting solutions, invoicing systems, and permit tracking separately. The combined cost typically exceeds Payaca while being harder to manage. Compare total cost of running your business.
- What happens after I close a deal in Pipedrive?
- In Pipedrive, you'd mark the deal as won and manually transfer information to other systems for scheduling, operations, and invoicing. In Payaca, won deals become installation projects with scheduling, permit tracking, and invoicing all connected - no manual handoff needed.
- Can Pipedrive handle solar permit tracking?
- No, Pipedrive doesn't have permit tracking or AHJ compliance features. You'd need separate tools or manual processes for permits. Payaca includes permit tracking that integrates with your project workflow.
From pipeline to payment
See how Payaca takes you from first lead to final invoice.